The threat of darkness, lightning and the first two losses of the season made for a long day for the Muhlenberg softball team.

The Mules lost to Wesleyan, 12-10, and New Jersey, 3-0, on the second-to-last day of their Spring Break trip. Both opponents were in the NCAA Tournament last year.

Muhlenberg, which averaged almost 12 runs in winning its first four games, looked like it would be in

Freshman Erica Wenzel slides home to score on a wild pitch in the second inning vs. Wesleyan.

for another big offensive day when it scored 10 runs in the first two innings of the Wesleyan game. The Mules batted around in both innings to take a 10-2 lead.

But that would be the end of the scoring for the day. The Cardinals scored 10 runs in the next three innings to take a 12-10 lead. With daylight fading, Muhlenberg got the tying run to the plate in each of the last three innings but could not score.

The Mules moved to a field with lights for their next game, but first Mother Nature showed off her lights, resulting in a lightning delay. The game against New Jersey, scheduled to start at 5:30, did not start until more than two hours later.

Batting against a pitcher who has not given up a run in 21 innings this season, Muhlenberg put runners on second and third with one out in the first on two singles and a stolen base, then did not get another hit the rest of the game.